Improvement in metallic and non-metallic boxes



BLISSA'RD Metallic and Non-Metallic Box.

Patented Feb. 4, 1879.

F I 0-1 I J a 1 15 e, 17 b E NFETERS, FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D c,

NITED 'rnl'rnsi ATENT FFIon JOHN C. BLISSARD, OFBIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

IMPROVEMENT [N METALLIC AND NON-METALLIC BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,884, dated February 4, 1879; application filed December 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN CHARLES BLrs- SARD, of Birmingham. in the county of Warwick, England, clerk in Holy Orders, have invented new and useful Improvements in Metallic and Non-Metallic Boxes for Holding Matches, Metallic Pens, and other small articles, which improvements are fully set forth in thefollowin g specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has reference to such metallic and non-metallic boxes for holding matches, metallic pens, and other small articles as are provided with lids hinged to one side of the box; and my said invention consists of the combination of parts hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereby the opening and closing of the box by the motion of its hinged lid is readily and quickly effected, the lid retaining the raised or lowered position to which it may have been brought.

Figure 1 represents in front elevation, Fig. 2 in side elevation, Fig. 3 in vertical section, and Fig. 4: in back elevation, a metallic matchbox made according to my invention, the box being represented closed by the shutting down of the lid upon its open top. Fig. 5 represents in front elevation, Fig. 6 in side elevation, Fig. 7 in vertical section, and Fig. 8 in back elevation, the box open, the lid having been raised and thrown back from the open top of the box by the depression of the sliding collar. Fig. 9 represents the body of the box without the lid and sliding collar. Fig. 10 represents the sliding collar separately, and Fig. 11 represents the hinged lid separately.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

a is the body of the box, having an oblong figure in plan, the sides of the said body being rounded. b is a sliding collar working closely upon the upper part of the said body a, and having a slight lip on its upper end in front, which lip is not shown in the drawing, and may be dispensed with and c c is the jointed lid of the box, a being the lid proper, and c an arm connected with the same, the said arm being situated at right angles to the lid proper, as represented. The front and sides of the body a are cut away at the top, as shown at a leaving the back a of the box projecting above the cut-away part (H. The backprojecting part 60 serves as a support and guide for the upper part of the sliding collar 1), but the said projecting part a may be dispensed with. In the back of the box a is a cross-slot, d, and in the back of the sliding collar bis another cross-slot and opening at 6. Through the slots (1 and e the extreme end of the arm 0 of the lid 0 is passed, the projecting ears or pieces 0 on the bottom of the arm 0 being bent or turned up within the box, so as to joint or connect the lid to the box.

In order to permit the sliding collar 1) to work over the arm 0 of the hinged lid 0, the part b of the said sliding collar 1), below the slot 0, is raised out of the plane of the other other part, so as to form a pocket. The shape of this pocket is best seen in the separate view, Fig. 10. The said pocket part b" of the sliding collar b bears closely upon the arm 0 of the lid when, the said collar is raised, and passes from off the said arm 0 when the said collar is depressed upon the body.

When the sliding collar b is raised, so as to bring its upper edge on the same level as the top of the box,it efl'ects the shutting down of the lid 0 and the closing of the box, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4that is to say,

the'pocket part b of the collar 12 as it slides over the arm 0 of the lid 0 turns the said lid upon its joint, and presses it into close contact with the back of the box, and brings the lid proper, 0, down upon the open top of the box, the upper part of thesliding collar covering the cut-away part, c of the body of the box. The collar 1) is retained in its raised position by pressing upon the sides of the box, and the lid 0 is thus effectually held down. upon the box.

In order to open the box the sliding collar 1) is depressed into the position represented in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8. By the depressing of the collar 1) its pocket part 1) slides from off the arm 0 of the hinged lid 0, and when the collar b has nearly descended to its full extent the cross parts ff at the back of the said collar bear upon the arm a of the lid near its joint, and press it outward into a position nearly at right angles to the back of the box,

as best seen in Figs. 6 and 7. The lid 0 is thereby thrown back, and is held in its open position so long as the collar b remains in its depressed position.

The collar 1) cannot descend on the box below the position represented in consequence of the parts ff of the said collar crossing the arm 0 of the lid.

The ears ff may be dispensed with, and an independent spring inside the box may be made to press upon a heel part of the jointed lid, or upon the lower arm of the lid, for pressin g outward the said lid when released by the sliding collar.

Although I prefer to apply my improvements to boxes made of sheet metal, yet my said improvements may also be applied to boxes made wholly or in part of rigid nonmetallic substances, such, for example, as wood, papier-ma'ch, vulcanite, and the like.

Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which the same that I claim as my invention 1. The herein-described box, composed of the body, a sliding collar, and hinged lid provided with a projecting arm, arranged to be acted on by said box and collar to open and close the box by means of the movement of said collar, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the body of a box and a sliding collar, both provided with a slot, as shown, of a hinged lid provided with an arm projected through said slots, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination, with the body of the box having a slot, of the sliding collar having a pocket formed on one side, and a slot at the upper part of said pocket, and the hinged lid having an arm projecting through said slots in the body of the box and sliding collar, substantially as described.

JOHN CHARLES BLISSARD. n s.

Witnesses GEORGE SHAW, RICHARD SKERRETT, Both of N0. 37 Temple Street, Birmingham. 

